medicaid expansionNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94medicaid expansionThu, 18 Aug 2016 09:08:18 +0000medicaid expansionhttp://kbia.org
Dan MargoliesThe trial of 23 people who protested Missouri’s failure to expand Medicaid began today in Jefferson City with jury selection.The so-called Medicaid 23 defendants include many notable Kansas City clergy members, among them Sam Mann, Wallace HartsfieldII and Vernon P. Howard Jr. They are accused of trespassing and obstructing government operations, both misdemeanors.The unusual mass trial stems from protests the defendants staged in May 2014. They were arrested after refusing to leave the Senate gallery, where they were chanting and singing.Along with hundreds of others, the protesters were urging lawmakers to expand Medicaid eligibility. Currently, Missouri is one of 19 states that have refused to do so.Expansion would extend health insurance coverage to 300,000 low-income Missourians.Texting from the Cole County courthouse, the Rev. Howard, president of the Southern Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, said that since May 2014, “1,400 Missourians have died or suffered extreme‘Medicaid 23’ Go On Trial In Jeff City Over 2014 Medicaid Protest In Capitolhttp://kbia.org/post/medicaid-23-go-trial-jeff-city-over-2014-medicaid-protest-capitol
95330 as http://kbia.orgMon, 15 Aug 2016 21:35:07 +0000‘Medicaid 23’ Go On Trial In Jeff City Over 2014 Medicaid Protest In CapitolTyler Adkisson The six speakers representing the City of Columbia — including Mayor Bob McDavid — all shot a very clear set of data-backed messages to state legislators. But even with a multitude of statistics, one main point reigned above all others. "So it's disingenuous for some legislators to say that we can't afford to expand Medicaid, just as it's disingenuous to say that Medicaid is broken," Fourth Ward City Council Member Ian Thomas said. City of Columbia Push Lawmakers To Pass Medicaid Expansionhttp://kbia.org/post/city-columbia-push-lawmakers-pass-medicaid-expansion
70083 as http://kbia.orgTue, 28 Apr 2015 23:17:00 +0000City of Columbia Push Lawmakers To Pass Medicaid ExpansionAaron PellishMissouri lawmakers rejected a bill proposal calling for Medicaid eligibility expansion made available by the Affordable Care Act. State senators voted 25-9 against Medicaid expansion on Tuesday after a two hour debate. The vote went directly along party lines, with the Republicans overwhelming the Democratic minority. The bill proposal is the third time in the three years since the Affordable Care Act was passed in which state lawmakers engaged in an extended debate over Medicaid expansion. Democratic Senator Paul LeVota, who proposed the bill, said he wants to continue to fight for Medicaid expansion in the face of the greater Republican opposition. “I think that we have to keep pressing the issue,” LeVota said. “I think we have to try to explain to more people in Missouri why this is a good idea, and we have to keep those elected representatives who aren’t doing the right thing by Missourians accountable.” The proposed expansion would provide medical coverage to able-bodied MissouriMissouri Senators Reject Medicaid Expansionhttp://kbia.org/post/missouri-senators-reject-medicaid-expansion
68816 as http://kbia.orgThu, 02 Apr 2015 22:13:51 +0000Missouri Senators Reject Medicaid ExpansionAlex SmithIf you’re in the market for fluorescent light bulbs, you might talk to Chris Smiley. In the past few weeks, she’s been trying to sell off what’s left of Sac-Osage Hospital.“Casework, lighting, plumping, sinks, toilets. Anything you want,” Smiley says.That’s not in her job description. She’s actually the CEO of Sac-Osage, a hospital in Osceola, Mo., that closed in September.“I have become an auctioneer,” Smiley says. “And I’ve learned more about asbestos and construction demolition than I ever wanted to know.”The small, 45-year-old hospital shut down, Smiley explains, because of diminishing payments from Medicare as well as a heavy load of uninsured patients.It’s a scenario more and more hospitals are facing – one that’s been especially hard on rural hospitals in states that have not expanded Medicaid.Such hospitals are often the biggest employers in rural counties. But unless Medicaid eligibility is expanded to include more low-income people, as the Affordable Care Act envisions,Facing Layoffs And Closures, Rural Hospitals Push For Medicaid Expansionhttp://kbia.org/post/facing-layoffs-and-closures-rural-hospitals-push-medicaid-expansion
67213 as http://kbia.orgWed, 04 Mar 2015 14:00:00 +0000Facing Layoffs And Closures, Rural Hospitals Push For Medicaid ExpansionNatasha BrewerResidents from across Missouri attended a press conference at the Missouri State Capitol on Wednesday to discuss the possibilities of Medicaid expansion in the state. Five panelists led the conference and told their stories about being a part of the coverage gap. This term describes the situation of people who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid but don’t earn enough money to pay for health insurance or qualify for incentives through the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid Expansion Issues Brought to Lawmakers' Attentionhttp://kbia.org/post/medicaid-expansion-issues-brought-lawmakers-attention
65831 as http://kbia.orgThu, 05 Feb 2015 14:19:53 +0000Medicaid Expansion Issues Brought to Lawmakers' AttentionJason HoffmanOn the eve of the new legislative session, a group of community and faith leaders gathered in Jefferson City to demand action from lawmakers on Medicaid expansion. Group demand action taken on Medicaid expansionhttp://kbia.org/post/group-demand-action-taken-medicaid-expansion
64495 as http://kbia.orgWed, 07 Jan 2015 15:39:39 +0000Group demand action taken on Medicaid expansionBram Sable-SmithThe Affordable Care Act included a temporary bump in the Medicaid fees paid to physicians for certain primary care services. The intention behind the two-year, federally-funded increase was to encourage more physicians to participate in Medicaid to accommodate an expanding pool of Medicaid patients anticipated by the law. But a 2012 Supreme Court decision opened a window for states to reject Medicaid expansion – Missouri is one of 23 states that have chosen not to expanded coverage – and as of Jan. 1, the Medicaid fee bump is expired as well. I spoke with Dave Dillon and Andrew Wheeler of the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) about the impact the fee increase expiration will have on Missouri hospitals. Medicaid fee bump expires in Missourihttp://kbia.org/post/medicaid-fee-bump-expires-missouri
64476 as http://kbia.orgWed, 07 Jan 2015 15:29:49 +0000Medicaid fee bump expires in MissouriDurrie BouscarenMissouri lawmakers pre-filed more than 500 bills over the past month that they plan to take up during the next legislative session, which begins on Jan. 7. Here’s a selection of bills related to health care that St. Louis Public Radio’s Health Desk will be keeping an eye on in 2015: HB 282: Consumer Rate Review on Health Insurance PlansThe relatively unsexy field of insurance policy doesn’t always turn heads, but one bill that might have a shot would allow the Missouri Department of Insurance to review the cost and coverage details of proposed health insurance plans each year and publish their findings for consumers to see. “We’re the only state in the union that doesn’t do this, and we do it for all the other forms of insurance,” said state Rep. Bill White, R-Joplin, the bill’s sponsor. As it stands, the first time Missourians are able to look through health insurance plans is when they become available for purchase. Consumer advocacy groups say the lack of transparency allowsHealth Care Bills To Watch In Missouri This Year http://kbia.org/post/health-care-bills-watch-missouri-year
64188 as http://kbia.orgWed, 31 Dec 2014 13:16:59 +0000Health Care Bills To Watch In Missouri This Year Hope Kirwan Last week marked the beginning of open enrollment for the federal health insurance marketplace, and on the surface it appears not much has changed. By some measures premiums before tax credits are just as affordable as last year - decreasing on average by about one percent according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. But to be a savvy shopper, many consumers should give the marketplace a second look. What consumers should know about healthcare enrollment for 2015http://kbia.org/post/what-consumers-should-know-about-healthcare-enrollment-2015
62792 as http://kbia.orgWed, 03 Dec 2014 18:28:12 +0000What consumers should know about healthcare enrollment for 2015Jo ManniesAs the state – and his reputation – seeks to move beyond Ferguson, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is rekindling his longstanding pitch in favor of expanding Medicaid.And Nixon may be seeking to subtly link the expansion with Ferguson’s headline-grabbing racial and economic unrest, by emphasizing what the state has been giving up in federal money – and what he said has resulted in less help to those who need it.”Let’s be honest, for just a second. The kind of real and lasting investments that our communities need to move forward are not free,” the governor said during an address Tuesday to the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association.“Preschool programs for working families are not free. Seed capital for small startups is not free. Science teachers and school lunches are not free. … Worker training is not free. To pay for these efforts, you need some level of revenue. And that means this race to the bottom has got to stop.”His comments were specifically directed at the tax breaks thatNixon Renews His Push For Expanding Medicaidhttp://kbia.org/post/nixon-renews-his-push-expanding-medicaid
58635 as http://kbia.orgWed, 03 Sep 2014 12:49:11 +0000Nixon Renews His Push For Expanding MedicaidAssociated PressOzarks Community Hospital says it will lay off up to 60 of its employees in the Springfield area.Springfield hospital blames layoffs on Mo. medicaid expansion delayhttp://kbia.org/post/springfield-hospital-blames-layoffs-mo-medicaid-expansion-delay
55263 as http://kbia.orgFri, 27 Jun 2014 13:21:07 +0000Springfield hospital blames layoffs on Mo. medicaid expansion delayAlex SmithHow divisive was the debate over Medicaid expansion in Missouri this year?Just ask Debbie Cole, a 51-year-old mother of four who lives in Butler, Mo., and signed a petition asking state legislators to extend Medicaid to cover more low-income residents.“We all live different lives, and some people out there may be working two or three jobs and have no insurance, and they need it to survive,” she says.About a month after signing the petition, Cole got a letter from her state senator, Republican Ed Emery of Lamar.The letter explained that Emery was concerned expansion would limit individual choice in healthcare. It also mentioned Medicaid expansion in Oregon, where one study showed the newly-insured failed to achieve significantly improved health outcomes on four measures compared to the uninsured.Emery encouraged Cole to study expansion further and, before signing off, offered one more thought.“We live in a nation and an era that facilitates physical moves between states. Individuals andWant Medicaid Expansion? You Can Move, Missouri Senator Sayshttp://kbia.org/post/want-medicaid-expansion-you-can-move-missouri-senator-says
54429 as http://kbia.orgThu, 12 Jun 2014 14:14:26 +0000Want Medicaid Expansion? You Can Move, Missouri Senator SaysHope Kirwan By now Missourians are familiar with the debate over expanding Medicaid in the state. The Affordable Care Act gives most people the opportunity to purchase health insurance with help from federal tax credits. But individuals earning too little to qualify for these tax credits but too much to be covered under for Missouri Medicaid are stuck in what is called “The Gap.” And that’s where these Missourians are likely they stay until the legislature resumes the debate on Medicaid expansion next year. But some important details regarding changes to Medicaid happened near the end of this year’s legislative session. State lawmakers readily passed a bill that will increase some of the benefits low-income adults receive under Medicaid. The bill allocated about $48 million to provide dental coverage, a benefit that was cut in 2005. Legislators also assigned almost $20 million to cover the costs of physical, occupational and speech therapies. While this bill seems to be a cautious step towardWhere Missouri stands on Medicaid expansionhttp://kbia.org/post/where-missouri-stands-medicaid-expansion
54338 as http://kbia.orgWed, 11 Jun 2014 12:00:00 +0000Where Missouri stands on Medicaid expansionMarshall GriffinA Missouri lawmaker is calling on Gov. Jay Nixon to preserve dental benefits for Medicaid recipients in next year's state budget when he signs the $26.4 billion spending plan into law later this month.State Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town and Country, chairs the committee that oversees budget writing for the three state agencies that handle Medicaid spending -- the departments of mental health, health and senior services, and social services."I would encourage anyone who really cares significantly about the adult dental (program) to communicate to the governor's office, and beyond, to spread the word," Allen told committee members Monday in Jefferson City.Lawmakers restored Medicaid benefits covering dental services, along with physical, occupational and speech therapies when they passed the fiscal year 2015 state budget last month. Those benefits were eliminated in 2005 by former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican.Nixon, a Democrat, and the GOP-led legislature have clashed every year overLawmaker Calls On Gov. Nixon To Preserve Dental Benefits In State Budgethttp://kbia.org/post/lawmaker-calls-gov-nixon-preserve-dental-benefits-state-budget
54294 as http://kbia.orgTue, 10 Jun 2014 13:04:25 +0000Lawmaker Calls On Gov. Nixon To Preserve Dental Benefits In State BudgetMaureen Lewis-StumpMedicaid expansion has been a widely talked about subject throughout the state of Missouri. Medicaid is federally funded state healthcare program for those that do not make enough money to be their own healthcare, or their employer does not provide it for them. The Medicaid policy in place now only covers those who make less than $4,500 a year total for a family of four. It also allows subsidies paid to those who make more than $89,000 a year. Those in between this gap are left without health insurance. Currently, legislators are trying to pass an expansion bill that will help out thousands of Missourians with health insurance. Brendan Cossette is the Director of Government Affairs for the Missouri Primary Care Association. He spoke to the Muleskinners Democratic Party of Missouri Friday at their weekly meeting. Cossette's main goal of speaking at this meeting was to educate the listeners on the expansion bill and answer any questions they might have regarding why it is not gettingMissouri talks Medicaid expansionhttp://kbia.org/post/missouri-talks-medicaid-expansion
54184 as http://kbia.orgFri, 06 Jun 2014 21:14:13 +0000Missouri talks Medicaid expansionJason RosenbaumFormer U.S. Sen. Kit Bond was tapped by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce to get Medicaid expansion across the finish line.He didn’t succeed. Despite the attempts of several Republicans in the House and Senate to pass some form of expansion this year, Bond told St. Louis Public Radio on Monday that “we were just a few filibustering senators short of getting it done.”That doesn’t mean the former Republican lawmaker is giving up the fight.“We’re going to lose $2 billion by not doing it this year,” Bond said after the groundbreaking of an expansion to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. “But we have no intention of quitting. Because this means too much to Missouri, and it means too much to the people who are losing health care.”Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would pay the full cost of expanding Medicaid up to 138 percent of the poverty level — with the state gradually picking up the tab up to 10 percent. While Republican lawmakers have been opposed to expansionDespite Setbacks, Bond Isn't Giving Up Medicaid Expansion Fighthttp://kbia.org/post/despite-setbacks-bond-isnt-giving-medicaid-expansion-fight
53294 as http://kbia.orgWed, 21 May 2014 12:40:39 +0000Despite Setbacks, Bond Isn't Giving Up Medicaid Expansion FightAssociated PressMissouri lawmakers are poised to give final approval to a state budget that could restore Medicaid benefits that were cut a decade ago. Missouri budget would restore Medicaid benefits http://kbia.org/post/missouri-budget-would-restore-medicaid-benefits
52624 as http://kbia.orgThu, 08 May 2014 12:57:50 +0000Missouri budget would restore Medicaid benefits Heather Adams Twenty-three Clergy members were arrested Tuesday during a rally at the capitol. The rally, by the group Missouri Faith Voices, was meant to get state senators to expand Medicaid eligibility. Over 300 members of Missouri Faith Voices gathered in the rotunda for a rally before certain clergy members moved into the Senate Gallery. While, other members showed support outside of the gallery, the select clergy members sang and prayed out loud for about an hour before police arrested them. Molly Housh Gordon is the pastor at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Columbia. She was one of the members who gathered in support of the Clergy members and Medicaid expansions. She said they planned to stay there until they were removed in order to prove their point. “They continued to pray and sing until they were arrested and removed from the gallery as a witness to the fact that as people of faith we are called to speak out about dignity and that we will not be silenced,” Gordon said. MissouriClergy members arrested after protesting in the Missouri Legislature http://kbia.org/post/clergy-members-arrested-after-protesting-missouri-legislature
52558 as http://kbia.orgTue, 06 May 2014 22:45:38 +0000Clergy members arrested after protesting in the Missouri Legislature Associated PressA renegade Republican has teamed up with minority party Democrats to deliver the first affirmative vote of the year for a plan to expand Medicaid eligibility. Missouri GOP lawmaker advances Medicaid expansion http://kbia.org/post/missouri-gop-lawmaker-advances-medicaid-expansion
52256 as http://kbia.orgThu, 01 May 2014 12:50:05 +0000Missouri GOP lawmaker advances Medicaid expansion Marshall Griffin The Missouri Senate passed the rest of the state budget Tuesday April 29, after taking care of the first 5 bills on Monday. Democrat Paul LeVota of Independence made an indirect attempt to expand Medicaid. He offered an amendment to create a line item in the Department of Social Services’ budget for extra Medicaid dollars to be drawn down if lawmakers ever decide to expand Medicaid. Republican Kurt Schaefer of Columbia opposed the amendment. “This is Medicaid expansion…this is very similar to the amendments we saw the other day, this is just the attempt to take the quote, unquote, ‘free money’ for Medicaid expansion and spread it around the budget and say how great the world would be if we just took that free money,” he said. Schaefer says expanding Medicaid would eventually lead to more dependence on the federal government by the state of Missouri. The state budget now goes back to the Missouri House, and negotiators from both chambers will be appointed to craft a final version ofSenate passes state budgethttp://kbia.org/post/senate-passes-state-budget
52169 as http://kbia.orgTue, 29 Apr 2014 22:39:14 +0000Senate passes state budget